How to Switch From a Medicare Advantage Plan Back to Original Medicare

When you can switch back to Original Medicare

You cannot leave a Medicare Advantage plan any time you want. You can only make the change during one of the following windows. Outside these windows, you generally have to keep your current plan until the next opportunity.

• Fall Open Enrollment (October 15 - December 7): Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and switch to Original Medicare. Your new coverage starts January 1 of the following year.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment (January 1 - March 31): If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change. You can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan, or disenroll and return to Original Medicare (and then add a separate Part D drug plan).
• Your first 3 months on Medicare: If you joined a Medicare Advantage plan during your Initial Enrollment Period (the first 3 months you have both Part A and Part B), you can switch back to Original Medicare within those same first 3 months.
• Special Enrollment Periods: Certain life events, such as moving out of your plan's service area, open a special window to switch (covered below).

When your Original Medicare coverage will start

The date your Original Medicare coverage begins depends on which window you use to make the change. Always confirm the start date in writing so you are not caught without coverage.

• Fall Open Enrollment (Oct 15 - Dec 7): Coverage takes effect January 1 of the following year.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment (Jan 1 - Mar 31): The change takes effect the first day of the month after your plan receives the request. For example, a request received in February takes effect March 1.

How to actually disenroll from your Medicare Advantage plan

You do not need to call your Medicare Advantage company first. There are a few ways to make the switch, and some happen automatically.

You can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048, and ask to be disenrolled and returned to Original Medicare. Enrolling in a standalone Part D drug plan or a Medigap policy can also start the process for you.

• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227); TTY users call 1-877-486-2048.
• If you are in an HMO, HMO-POS, or PPO Medicare Advantage plan and you join a separate standalone Part D drug plan, you are automatically disenrolled from your Medicare Advantage plan and returned to Original Medicare.
• Joining a Medigap policy when you have a guaranteed issue right can also be part of the transition. Keep written confirmation of every change and effective date.

Prescription drug coverage and Part D

This is the step people miss most often. Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) does not include prescription drug coverage. Most Medicare Advantage plans bundle drug coverage in, so when you leave, that benefit goes away.

To keep drug coverage, you can join a separate standalone Part D drug plan at the same time you disenroll from Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare. If you go without creditable drug coverage, you may owe a late enrollment penalty when you eventually sign up.

• In 2026, the national base beneficiary premium for Part D is $38.99 per month; your actual plan premium may be higher or lower.
• The 2026 annual out-of-pocket cap for covered drugs is $2,100.
• The Part D late enrollment penalty is 1% of $38.99 for each full month you went without creditable drug coverage (rounded to the nearest $0.10), added to your premium for as long as you have Part D.

Medigap (Medicare Supplement) and the 12-month trial right

Original Medicare has no annual out-of-pocket maximum for Part A and Part B services. Because of this, many people who return to Original Medicare buy a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy to help pay deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.

Timing is critical. If you have a guaranteed issue right, an insurer cannot deny you a Medigap policy, charge you more because of your health, or impose a waiting period for pre-existing conditions. Without a guaranteed issue right, the insurer can use medical underwriting to charge more or turn you down.

Apply early. You can apply for a Medigap policy as early as 60 calendar days before your Medicare Advantage coverage ends, and no later than 63 calendar days after it ends.

• Trial right (first time in Medicare Advantage at 65): If you joined Medicare Advantage when first eligible for Part A at 65 and switch to Original Medicare within the first 12 months, you can buy ANY Medigap policy sold in your state with guaranteed issue.
• Trial right (you dropped Medigap to try Medicare Advantage): If you dropped a Medigap policy to join a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time, you have a single 12-month trial-right period to get that same Medigap policy back, if the insurer still sells it.
• No guaranteed issue right? You can still apply, but the insurer may use medical underwriting, charge more, or deny you for pre-existing conditions.
• Medigap rules vary by state and policies are sold by private insurers. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

Special Enrollment Periods and moving

Some life events let you leave Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare outside the usual windows. The most common is moving out of your plan's service area.

If you move outside your plan's service area, your Special Enrollment Period generally begins when you move and continues for 2 full months after the move. If you tell your plan before you move, the window can start the month before you move. Other Special Enrollment Periods exist for situations such as losing other coverage; call 1-800-MEDICARE to confirm whether one applies to you.

2026 Original Medicare costs and the trade-offs

Switching is free, but your ongoing costs change. Here is what Original Medicare costs in 2026 and the key trade-offs to weigh.

• Part A: Premium-free if you have 40+ work quarters; $311/month at 30-39 quarters; $565/month with under 30 quarters. The 2026 inpatient hospital deductible is $1,736 per benefit period; days 61-90 cost $434/day; lifetime reserve days cost $868/day; skilled nursing facility days 21-100 cost $217/day.
• Part B: The standard 2026 premium is $202.90/month, with a $283 annual deductible and 20% coinsurance for most services. Higher earners may pay an income-related surcharge (IRMAA).
• Part D (if added): Base premium $38.99/month and a $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs.
• No out-of-pocket cap: Unlike Medicare Advantage, Original Medicare has no annual out-of-pocket maximum for Part A and Part B, which is why a Medigap policy is often paired with it.
• Pros of switching: Freedom to see any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare nationwide, no plan network restrictions, and generally no referrals.
• Cons of switching: You must arrange Part D and possibly Medigap yourself, you may face medical underwriting for Medigap if you lack a guaranteed issue right, and you lose extras some Medicare Advantage plans include (such as dental or vision).

Can you change your mind later?

Yes. If you return to Original Medicare and later decide you prefer Medicare Advantage, you can rejoin a Medicare Advantage plan during the next fall Open Enrollment Period (October 15 - December 7), or during another period if you qualify.

Keep in mind that switching back and forth can affect your Medigap options. A guaranteed issue trial right can usually be used only once, so if you have already used it, future Medigap purchases may be subject to medical underwriting.